


A Teachable Moment

by AXEe



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, Episode: s09e04 Before the Flood, F/M, I Don't Even Know, Random & Short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:01:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28361346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AXEe/pseuds/AXEe
Summary: Remember the opening of "Before the Flood", with Twelve explaining the 'bootstrap paradox' to us? Well, I give you this.   Enjoy :=)
Relationships: The Doctor (Doctor Who)/Rose Tyler, Twelfth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 6
Kudos: 29





	A Teachable Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Remember the opening of "Before the Flood", with Twelve explaining the 'bootstrap paradox' to us? Well, I give you this. Enjoy :=)

******

The TARDIS hummed away as The Doctor spun on his heel with a flourish, bracing himself against the railing.

“So there's this man,” he began “he has a time machine. Up and down history he goes, zip zip zip zip zip, getting into scrapes,” he pushed off the railing and made his way across the console room towards a very cluttered work desk, grabbing several vinil records off it and holding them up “another thing he has is a passion for the works of Ludwig van Beethoven,” he gave the record of Beethoven’s 5th a tap with one finger.

“And one day he thinks, _'what's the point of having a time machine if you don't get to meet your heroes?'_ So off he goes to 18th century Germany. _But_ he can't find Beethoven anywhere. No one's heard of him, not even his family have _any idea_ who the time traveler is talking about,”

He set the records aside and picked up a plaster bust of Ludwig himself that was perched on a shelf and walked down the stairs, holding out the bust

“Beethoven literally doesn't exist,” he concluded “this didn't happen, by the way,” he added “I've met Beethoven. Nice chap. Very intense. Loved an arm-wrestle. No, this,” he hefted the bust “…is called the Bootstrap Paradox. Google it,”

He set the bust down

“The time traveler panics. He can't bear the thought of a world without the music of Beethoven. _Luckily_ , he'd brought all of his Beethoven sheet music for Ludwig to sign. So, he copies out all the concertos, and the symphonies and _he_ gets them published. _He_ becomes Beethoven. And history continues with barely a feather ruffled,”

He held up a hand, as if forestalling a question from his audience even as he reached for his electric guitar, slinging it over his shoulder and plugging it into the amplifier.

“But my question is this. Who put those notes and phrases together? Who really composed Beethoven's Fifth?”

Plugging in the guitar, he rapidly played the first notes of Beethoven’s Fifth, only to stop suddenly, scowling.

“Rose, you’re not even listening!” he complained.

Perched on the jumpseat, Rose sighed and shrugged.

“All I asked was _‘have you ever met Beethoven’_ ,” she pointed out “not for a lesson in time travel,”

The Doctor merely scowled and went back to playing, louder than before,

“Oh, that’s real mature” Rose laughed…

**END**

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought :=)


End file.
